The present invention relates to a prosthetic denture precursor and a method for manufacturing and using the prosthetic denture precursor.
A currently used prosthetic denture device has a denture base formed of a resin material, and a set of individual teeth are set onto the resin material. An acrylic resin is common among possible resin materials for a denture base.
According to a conventional method for making a denture device, a custom mold of a patient's mouth is prepared from an impression. A wax denture is made on the custom mold, and the wax denture is then embedded in an embedding material in a flask. After the embedding material hardens in the flask, the wax is removed by hot water to leave a cavity having a shape of a denture base. Into the cavity was added a doughy mixture of acrylic monomers and acrylic polymers, which resins are then polymerized and hardened upon heating. During the polymerization step the resin in the cavity may be pressurized to give a better conformity of the resin. A denture device made by this conventional method can give an accurate, detailed shape, especially when a suitable wax material is used.
To form a denture base consisting of an acrylic resin by this method, however, involves many steps, and the method is troublesome for a dentist. A patient also may find this method inconvenient because the method may require frequent visits to a dentist.